Love, Death, and Bulgaria
by LongLiveCedricDiggory
Summary: Bulgaria is a place most Wizards and Witches fear to go. A place filled with darkness and despair. An Auror, an Alchemist, and a Death Eater find themselves facing this awful place with the same thought in each mind.. I have to find the stone..
1. Prolouge

**The Following Story Is Brought To You By**

**:..:AmY:..:**

**  
..:..TiFF..:..**

**We decided that two heads are better than one, and wanted to try our skills at a _Joint-Fic!_ We hope y'all like it, and we hope y'all review! To see our other works, Our Pen Names are: **

**AmY: HeirOfHufflepuff **

**TiFF: QuidditchLover018**

**Count this as our Disclaimer: we do NOT own anything Harry Potter, cause trust us, if we did, Sirius wouldn't be dead dag nabbit! Oh, and Draco and Ginny would DEFINATELY be together ;-)**

**And here's a short summary before you go on to the Prologue: _6 years after the death of Nicholas Flamel, trouble is yet again stirred up. A strange prophecy is made, followed by strange riddles, and everyone's making a mad dash for what is believed to be a second Philosopher's Stone! (Yes folks, it's a DG fic, what else?) _**

**Sorry the Prologue's so short! I hopey you likey!**

†

**PROLOGUE**

St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, 2nd Floor.

July 8, 1999

Albus Dumbledore sat with tears in his eyes, watching his old friend wither away, knowing there was nothing he could do. He could hardly believe that this day had come, a day he'd been dreading for the past 20 years or so. Trying not to show the emotion he was holding back so strongly, he looked into to old man's eyes.

"Albus, stop worrying about me. It's not so much of a bad thing. I've lived a long life, it's about time I be set free, 682 is not a fun age," The old man said, trying to show that he wasn't afraid, like he was just waiting for it to happen. One is never quite ready for death, however, no matter how much preparation is made.

Dumbledore gave a weak smile. "Dear old friend, I'm happy for you. You get to move on from this life and experience a whole new one. After so long, I've got to imagine that sounds pretty good. Still, I can't help feeling a man's grief." He wiped a tear from his eye before he let it fall.

"Albus, I can feel the time is getting near, but I can't go until I've said my final peace." Nicholas Flamel reached from under his pillow and extracted a small, brown envelope. "Listen carefully to me. This is very important."

Dumbledore nodded curtly. Leaning forward, he focused all his attention on what Flamel was about to say.

"I hold in my hands a very important document. If in the wrong hands, we could submit the world to most terrible things. I trust you to keep this message until you feel the time is right to open it. Only then should you know what's inside of it.

"Trust only those that are closest to you, the ones you know are with you for sure. Albus, I know you would never break your word, so I am giving this to you. Please, whatever you do, Promise me that you'll keep it safe." Flamel's breath was getting shorter with each word he spoke.

"Nicholas, I give you my word. I'll not open it until the time is right, and I'll not show it to anyone I believe to be a danger. Go and be in peace with your wife." With Dumbledore's promise, Flamel closed his eyes. He took a deep, last breath and let it out slowly. Dumbledore watched his chest fall, knowing it would not rise again. Finally, he let his tears fall. Getting out of his seat, he stole a final look at his friend.

"Good-bye Nicholas." he whispered.

He walked out of St. Mungo's in higher spirits. His friend trusted him with this secret, and he would not mess it up. Dumbledore walked into a nearby pub, The Leaky Cauldron. He didn't stop to get a drink, he just went straight through to the back and met up with a brick wall. Bringing out his wand, he tapped the bricks in an order known only to wizards and witches. The bricks made a crunching noise and then they were pulled away to the side to reveal the one and only, Diagon Alley.

The Headmaster stepped into a few shops, greeted a few students, and bought a few items. It was impossible to tell that he had been weeping for an old friend only moments ago, what with his twinkling blue eyes. Then, he was on his way back to the only place he found fit to call home... Hogwarts.

He hoped that he would never have to open that envelope.

**Onward, we say- **


	2. Flamel's Secret

**Chapter 1**

**Flamel's Secret**

**.:SIX YEARS LATER:.**

"What is it you need me for, sir?" Harry asked as he took a seat infront of his ex-headmaster. The man looked so worn..not from age, but from strain. Harry remembered the small note that he'd recieved only moments before his arrival.

_Harry_

_Meet me in my office as soon as possible_

_Albus Dumbledore_

This wasn't like him, to just ask him to come out as soon as he could. No, Dumbledore made appointments, never the type to plan some spontaneous meeting. Harry anticipated the moment when the man would speak. He looked as if he were searching for the right way to say what was plaguing his mind.

"Harry" He began, cleaning his spectacles on his robes, "I have something very important to tell you."

"Ofcourse" Harry replied, wishing he'd get to the point.

He took an aged envelope out of his desk drawer and passed it to Harry. It was addressed to one Albus Dumbledore. The purple seal was broken. Harry gave his headmaster a look of confusion before removing its contents.

"Don't worry about that one, my boy" Dumbledore smiled as he took the first parchment from Harry. "That was his letter to me"

A raven eyebrow arched behind round spectacles. "Who?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Nicholas Flamel. Yes, I know," He held up a hand to silence Harry, "He died six years ago. He told me only to open this when I felt I sincerely had to. Don't ask me why, but I have my reasonings for opening this document. Now please, read it. Then we can discuss what it's all about."

Harry looked down at the neatly scrawled writing before him. It seemed to be a short poem. He read aloud,

_"In the realm which dark wizards play_

_It waits for the light to come its way_

_Venture to the place that men most fear_

_Find the place where the trees are cleared_

_Follow the direction where four men lie_

_Their knowledge lives on even after they've died_

_Legends of this have been fortold_

_Turns any metal into gold._

_I hope you have a clever mind_

_For I tell the secret that could save your life."_

Harry finished and looked up into Dumbledore's waiting eyes. "This doesn't make any sense."

"Ah, but it does. Look into it more, Harry. Read over each line, each detail...What do you think my dear friend Nicholas is talking about?"

"The Philosopher's Stone!" Ginny shrieked, almost falling out of her chair.

"SHH!" Harry hissed, causing the redhead to sit back down. "Keep your voice down, will you? Yes, that's what Dumbledore and I concluded. Look," He slid the riddle across the table. After reading it over, she looked up at him.

"Turns any metal into gold, could save your life...this has to be it!" She beamed, "I've been trying to figure out how to duplicate the original all these years, and now all I have to do is just find it! This is wonderful! but there's just one problem. _how_ will we find it?"

"We figured that one out too," Harry whispered, pointing to the first line of the riddle, "In the realm in which Dark Wizards play...Everyone knows that Bulgaria is famous for practicing the Dark Arts! It's going to be there somewhere."

"No," Ginny smirked, "Only an Auror would know that. Why did Dumbledore want you to find it anyway? Can't he find it himself?"

"Dumbledore's an old man, Gin." Harry shook his head, "He said that I was the only other person he felt he could trust with such a task. Told me not to tell anyone about my doings."

"So why are you telling me?"

"You've been on this case for years now. Plus, I think I'll need an Alchemists' help in finding the stone. What if I find a faulty one? I wouldn't be able to tell the difference."

Ginny gave a timid smile. "You really think I'll be much help?"

"You'll be all the help in the world" he winked at her.

There was a flash of red and she was upon Harry, siezing him in a bear hug. "Oh thank you thank you _thank you_, Harry! I can't believe I'm finally going to find the Philosopher's Stone!"

"The Philosopher's Stone, you say?" hissed a greasy voice.

"Yes, my Lord, I heard it with my very ears today in Hogsmeade." replied a strong baritone voice, "They think it's hidden in Bulgaria."

The Dark Lord seemed very pleased at this news. "Good work, Zabini, your information is highly useful. I guess I'll have to send someone to follow them, use them..."

"I'll-"

"Silence!" he shouted over the other, his red eyes cut into slits, "I know just who I'll use..."

"Father, wake up" Draco Malfoy hissed. "Wake _up!"_

A blonde haired man in his mid 50's grunted before opening weary eyes. He saw who was there and immediately got up.

"Draco" he said hoarsly before going over to him. He wished he could actually stand face to face with his son. He hadn't done that in a long, long time. He pressed his face against the cool bars of his Azkaban Cell. It was surprising how much his son had grown up in 9 years without a father. He was definately proud of Draco, he'd picked up precisely where he'd left off. and Draco never failed to come and visit his father. He was definately a disgrace to Witches and Wizards everywhere, but in the eyes of his son, he was still taken into high priority and respect.

Draco sighed. His father looked horrible, as always. Not the clean-shaven aristocrat he used to be. His hair was nearly down to his elbows. His beard was growing out of control. His robes were reduced to rags. It saddened the young Malfoy. Ofcourse, his father barely had a heart or a soul, but come to think of it, he didn't have those either. They were the same, despicable men. Maybe that's how Lucius wanted it.

"I'm being sent away" He stated. "I won't be back for awhile. It's undetermined for how long"

"Is he?"

"Yes, he's the one sending me out. Direct orders." Draco cut him off. "Tell mum about it next time she visits, I won't have time to speak to her. I have to be going."

"Draco" He held a hand through the bars, in attempt to grab his son's attention as he walked away. He turned around.

"I really am proud of you" He reminded him. He always said this before Draco left, hoping it would mean something to him.

Draco only nodded at him before exiting the prison, feeling as if he'd never be happy again.

Three totally different people were going to Bulgaria.

One was an Auror, the richest and most famous Auror in a century. He was still best friends with a certain Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and had made many more on his journeys. He knows almost anything about everything. He is The Boy Who Lived. He is exactly what everyone expected him to be.

Another was an Alchemist, widely known for her brilliant discoveries, among the largest being her cure for Werewolf bites, The new wand core(Sphinx Hair), and the recent discovery of a potion that can transform the drinker into any animal they desire for one hour. Her life was her work, her work was her life. She'd spent all her years in Alchemy searching desparately for the way to create a second Philosopher's Stone, but she'd never succeeded. It was like trying to find holes in the dark. Needless to say, Nicholas Flamel was her idol.

And the last of the trio, well, he is still a mystery to anyone who knows him. He's not exactly liked by the Auror and the Alchemist, but his role in the Ministry has a high influence upon both of them. Yet it is not his job that he cares about at all. It is his destiny. The role he was meant to play since he'd been born. And now, he was on a mission to prove himself, to prove that he is the best in his ranks. To make his father proud..

Three different people. One Mission. One thought..

_I have to get the stone._

**High Ho Silver, Awayy- **

**A/N: AmY: well, I hope y'all like it! We're up and off the ground now, a-workin on gettin' to Bulgaria! Idk what TiFF thinks, but I have a feeling that the story's going to be mostly, if not just, about Draco, Ginny, and Harry. OH, and did you like our Riddle! I hope so, we spent FOREVER thinking it up! Actually, we spent forever just thinking up the PLOT! ((Hehe)) So yes, I hope you like it, and I'll give the A/N over to TiFF!**

**TiFF:Well, like she said, took us forever just to think of this damn plot, so ya'll better love the story ;) J/K. So, that was chapter 1... hit the little button in the corner and review. Let us know whatcha think of our joint fic! Hmm... well, we'll update as soon as we can, and hope you liked it!**


	3. The Meeting

**Chapter 2**

**:The Meeting:**

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Ginny and Harry arrived in Bulgaria that very same day, tired, but very excited. All Harry wanted to do was sleep. She admitted she was tired, but for some reason, Ginny couldn't sleep. All she could think about was the stone, how badly she wanted it. Harry said good-night and layed down right away. Ginny mumbled the same back to him, but she knew sleep was miles away. There was so much going on in her head and she knew she was in for a long night.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Draco stepped into a dark hotel that reminded him of a shop in Knockturn Alley. This would have to do. He was maintaining a low profile, and everyone knew a Malfoy would never stoop to such levels as these. Since he was in a Wizarding town, much like Hogsmeade, but darker and dingier, he paid everything in galleons. The man in charge gave him an odd sort of look, as if he wouldn't expect someone so clean to be rooming there. Draco merely smirked. He was tired and didn't want to stick around and make small talk. He took his key and went to find his room.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Trying not to wake Harry, Ginny snuck about the room. She was trying to find her cloak, but couldn't remember where she'd placed it. Harry stirred when she stepped on a creaky floor board, but didn't wake up. She gave a sigh of relief and kept searching. Once she'd found it, she grabbed the key to the room and crept out silently. She couldn't sleep anyways, why not go for a short walk? She shut the door behind her and locked it. Seeing as she was in a new country and didn't know her way around, she wouldn't venture far.

Seeing the stars above her as she walked outside the hotel, she smiled. She'd always loved the stars. Stars and thunderstorms, they always calmed her right down. She sat down on the nearest bench and just stared at them, connecting the dots and making pictures. She found her two favorite constellations, who were Sirius (the dog) and Draco (the dragon). She smiled, remembering a time she hated Draco because she knew a foul person by the name. Ginny wasn't one to hold a grudge, though. She'd long forgotten the past. Although, she knew if she came face to face with the dragon himself, everything would come back.

Ginny was absorbed in the sky and didn't realize a man standing in front of her. He was a man about her age with dark hair and dark eyes. He was slightly duck-footed and looked as though he walked with a hunch. He looked so familiar to her, but she couldn't place him. As suddenly as she was sure she'd been mistaken and had never met him, his name came to her. _This was Viktor Krum!_ Hermione had gone to the Yule Ball with him and remained close friends with him afterwards. Ginny had never really gotten to know him, but he seemed a little on the darker side of things for her liking. He did, after all, come from Durmstrang, a Wizarding school known for it's emphasis on the Dark Arts.

She smiled at him, wondering if he remembered her. They'd never really talked, but they'd exchanged 'hellos' whenever he visited Hermione. He smirked at her, but didn't say anything. He started walking the other way. Ginny was confused, but didn't call to him. Maybe she'd been mistaken and it wasn't him at all. Maybe he just didn't remember her. '_Maybe..._' She thought, watching him wander away into the darkness.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Draco smirked as he saw Krum walking towards him. He knew that having Krum on his side could help both missions he was on.

"Krum," He said quietly.

"Malfoy," He said back with his thick accent showing through. He stopped right in front of him and Draco knew he was on the edge, wondering what he could have to say that was so urgent.

"I've been sent here on two missions. You can help me with both, but I need to know one thing before I say anymore," Draco said, eyeing Krum carefully. "I need to know, with no hesitation, which side you are on."

Krum gave a small smirk, something he'd never mastered fully. "There iz a reason you vant to know vot side I am on." The way he said it, it wasn't a question. It was a statement. Draco shrugged.

"Guilty," He said smirking. "So which is it then?"

"The same side I haff alvays been on," Krum said. "Now, vot iz this reason, Malfoy?"

Draco sighed. He'd been worried for a minute that things wouldn't go as planned. "Follow me," He whispered. Krum looked at him quizzically. "We can't talk here, we might be watched." Krum nodded to show his understanding.

He followed Draco into a dark alleyway and back to the hotel he was staying in. A pair of deep, brown eyes were watching them. She was right. It _had _been Krum, but what was he doing with Draco Malfoy? Ginny decided she needed to know what was going on, so she followed.

She made her way around the same corner and into the same hotel, but before she'd gone any further a hand clapped down on her shoulder. Hard. She twisted around, wondering who this crude person was. She was very surprised to come face to face with none other than Draco himself.

"Hello Weaslette," He drawled.

"M-Malfoy," She squeaked. "How'd you know I was coming here?"

He smirked. "Krum told me you might follow us, and I should tell you, I don't like evesdroppers." He leaned in closer to her. "What-did-you-hear?" He enunciated each word with a hint of bitterness.

"Nothing, really," She lied, buying herself time to make up a story. "I couldn't hear you all that well. I heard something about sides and missions, but nothing else." She couldn't believe it. She was still scared of him! Her hands were trembling as he frowned deeply.

"I think you're lying little Weasle, and you bloody well know that I don't like liars." He backed off a little, and Ginny let out her breath, the breath she didn't realize she was even holding.

"Considering you're family is full of them, I should think you'd be used to it," She threw at him. Somewhere from within, she found her courage.

He glowered at her and looked as thought he might hit her. Ginny didn't know what to expect. "First of all, you'd better learn to respect me as your superior because one day, you'll be forced to. Secondly, if you ever insult my family, which I might add has a much better reputation than yours, I will have no choice but to kill you. Lastly, I don't know what you overheard Weaslette, but if so much as one word is spoken of what you might have, I will hunt you down." She opened her eyes wider. He was threatening her!

He turned around and stalked away, leaving her dumbfounded and unable to speak. If she thought she hadn't been able to sleep before, it would be nothing compared to now. Nonetheless, she made her way back to the hotel she was staying at, wishing she'd never come out in the first place.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

**Go On With Yer Bad Self-x**

**A/N: TiFF-Well, I hope ya liked this one as much as the last one! I know nothing's really happening yet, but give it time! As the plot developes, the story will get better. Also, the chapters will get longer. Now, without further ado, I'm handin the author's note over to Amy!**

**AmY-Whee! Chapter two! I almost had to beat TiFF over the head with a 2x4 to get this chapter out of her! puts wooden plank away sadly. TeeHee! Well I hope y'all do like it and Chapter Three won't come too much longer after Chapter 2! Now Review us:o)**


	4. Sharing Bulgaria

**Chapter 3**

**Sharing Bulgaria**

_"if so much as one word is spoken of what you might have, I will hunt you down" _Draco's words whizzed in her head.

"what did you have to tell me?" Butted in Harry's voice. He was giving her an odd look.

"Nothing" She said, shaking her head. _'I'm sure it's nothing'_

The truth was, she didn't want Harry's mind to stray away from the objective at hand. She knew that if she told him Draco Malfoy was creeping around Bulgaria, having midnight-meetings with Viktor Krum...he'd go all save-the-day on her again. And right now was not the time for that. Her career was on the line here! Every thing she'd ever accomplished was because she was looking for the properties needed for the Philosopher's Stone. So many times she'd tried, and failed. Sure, she'd come up with a new invention of some sort to make up for it every time...but those things never appeased her hunger of a certain Stone. Just to see if she could do it..

So they left the small hotel to grab some breakfast and discuss their new mission. Ginny and Harry both were surprised that this country was marked as "Darkest of all in the world", it looked just like any other town they'd ever been in. Though, there was that one time Harry saw a shop with dead creatures displayed in the window, and another that had thick smoke billowing through the doorway. Other than that, however, the shops and diners looked pretty much normal.

"So where do you think we should even start?" Ginny asked as she ventured down the street with her friend.

"I don't know" He replied, brandishing the small paper. "We're _in_ the dark place it's talking about...so now we have to go...where the trees are cleared...I don't see any trees..."

"Let me see that" Ginny snatched the paper from the Boy who Lived. "The place that men most fear..."

"What is _he_ doing here?" Harry suddenly burst out. Ginny's eyes tore from the paper and searched around. A flash of silver-white light caught her eye and she immediately knew who Harry was referring to. Draco Malfoy was standing outside of a shop with Krum, speaking Bulgarian to some man she didn't recognize.

"Who knows" Ginny muttered before turning her attention back to the riddle before her. She would let that git go on with whatever business he had. It wasn't her concern. But, Harry being the man he is, made it his concern.

"What're _you_ doing here, Malfoy?" He called. Ginny didn't look up from her paper, she just followed her companion wherever he was going. Not until she felt cold steel on her did she turn up her gaze.

"It's a small world, Potter," He sneered, "Perhaps I should be the one asking _you_ what _you're_ doing."

"We're here on business," Harry bit, "_good_ business." Draco didn't look too pleased with that statement. Everyone knew that he had been tried in court for being a Death Eater, but he'd been acquitted. That didn't keep the people from talking, though.

"So I see you _did_ say something about our meeting last night" He snarled at Ginny. She glared at him.

"I didn't."

"I'm sure you didn't." the blonde said sarcastically.

"I didn't!"

"Lying gets you nowhere, Weasel-Chit" Draco narrowed his eyes at her, engaging into a childish arguement.

"Precisely why I'm not lying, you pillock" Ginny shot back

"Uh," Harry interjected.

"What!" They hollered simultaneously, turning to him.

"Erwhat are you guys talking about?"

Ginny smirked triumphantly at Draco and fought the urge to stick her tongue out at him.

××××××××××

So she _didn't_ tell Potter that she'd seen him last night. This was a shocker for Draco. The Weasley girl had always been after Harry Potter...Why she didn't run to him like a little lost child was beyond him. Now he inwardly kicked himself for jumping to that conclusion, now Potter would certainly know! And that would mean he'd be keeping an eye on him. Damn this!

"We're talking about nothing _important_" Draco drawled as he gave Ginny a hard look that said 'And if you say anything, you'll die.'

"Why were you with Ginny last night?" Demanded Harry.

"He vasn't vith her" Krum spoke up from Draco's side, making himself known. "He vas vith me. Veasley vas vollowing us and there vas confrontation"

"Why were you following them?" Harry turned to Ginny

"Yeah, why were you following us?" Draco sneered.

"Shove off, Malfoy. Let's go, Harry." She turned her attention to a piece of parchment and stormed off. Draco earned one last glare from Harry before he went to catch up with her.

"So zey know vhere ze stone iz?" Krum asked quietly.

"Not yet." Draco replied out of the corner of his mouth, "But something tells me that the directions are on that sheet of parchment. We'll follow them."

××××××××××

"I didn't know you left the room last night" Harry prodded as they studied the riddle in a small cafe.

Ginny sighed loudly and tried to block him out.

"What were you doing following Malfoy around? Is he up to"

"No, Harry, He's not up to anything. He's probably just poking around trying to buy everything off like always." She butted in, sick of his prodding. "I couldn't sleep so I left the room. I saw him and argued with him for about _two seconds_. Can you just _please_ drop it and get on task here?"

"Er-Yeah"

They toiled over the words for over an hour to no avail.

Ginny pounded her fist on the table. This was going nowhere!

"Harry, we have to think differently. We are thinking too hard. Where's a place where trees are cleared and men lie?"

He took his glasses off and massaged the bridge of his nose. "Gin, I don't know. Let's take a break"

"No!" She shouted. The entire cafe went quiet. "I mean, no. We're _so close_, we can't just call it quits now!"

"We aren't!" he hissed back at her, "I just suggested we take a break! Calm down a bit, won't you?"

"Sorry, Harry" she ran a hand through her hair, "It's just so frustrating"

"Well, sometimes one's brain works better after it's rested for awhile" offered the other with a hint of desparation. Ginny then realized that Harry wasn't much of a workaholic, very unlike herself. These days, it was all she did. She didn't see this trip as a vacationShe saw it as a career opportunity. She was stressing her partner out.

Ginny gave a weak smile. "Fine. Okay. Let's go for a walk."

××××××××××

"It was good talking business with you" Draco said in Bulgarian, shaking a stocky man's hand. Viktor was playing as his personal guide and he proved to be very useful in Draco's mission. Since he was a famous Quidditch player, everyone seemed to want to do whatever he was doing. Ofcourse the people here knew Draco as well...but he didn't compare to fame.

"well, that went well" he said to his sidekick as they left the dingy pub.

"It did" agreed Krum. "So vat is vith ze uzzer mission ve are on?"

"It's a bit more difficult, I'd have to say" Draco explained, "I've been told I have to follow those two pillocks around"

"Harry Potter and ze redheaded girl?"

"Yes"

"ze stone?"

"Yeah, the stone. Can you handle both objectives?"

"I can"

"Good, Because I have a feeling this will all go better if you're going to stick around." Draco shrugged, "The hardest part will be staying right behind them whilst unnoticed."

"yes, I zuppose it vill be," Viktor agreed, "If ze Potter character iz as nozy as ze Ron Veasley"

Draco rolled his mercury eyes. "He's worse."

××××××××××

"Harry! Psst! _Harry!_" hissed a voice ripe with urgency. "Wake _up, _ Harry!"

He rolled over and groped around for his glasses. Ginny quickly placed them on his face. "What do you want? It's three o'clock in the morning" He groaned as he sat up and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I know what the riddle means! I know I know I know!" She began to jump up and down, "get up I'll tell you!"

"Can't it wait until I can comprehend?" he said irritably.

"No! Get up!"

"Have you been up all night looking at that stupid riddle?"

Ginny stopped jumping for a moment. "That doesn't matter! Just get up I have to get it out! Oh, Harry, we're getting close!"

"fine. I'm all ears." he grumbled as he got out of bed.

Ginny rushed him over to the desk, where the parchment containing the strange riddle lay. The woman was overcome with excitement.

"Think, Harry, What's the only place you can think of where the trees are cleared, and men lie?"

"Their bed" he muttered sarcastically. She sighed and hit him over the head.

"Stop being a bugger! I'm serious!"

"Okay, uhm.." Harry scratched his head.

Ginny grew impatient of his ponderings. "A _Cemetary,_ Harry, that's what!" she shrieked with glee. Then her face fell. "aren't you excited?"

"No," he said, "It's 3:16 in the morning. Also, We are in a large country. There are over four _thousand_ cemetaries here. It's a very helpful discovery, but it's still not very useful. I came to the conclusion that we were looking for a cemetary while we were shopping today. But I didn't want to bring it up."

Ginny slumped down on the bed. "Thanks for bringing up my ego, Harry." She pouted.

"Don't mention it. Goodnight, Gin."

One step closer. And yet...one step back.

**A/N: AmY: Sorry, I was the one responsible for Chapter Three and I don't think I did a very good job! And I don't really know what to say about this chapter, I'm not too impressed with it...but I hope you like it anyway, and if you have ANY Suggestions, they're useful! But I'll hand over the AN to my good ol' pal, IFF, cause she's the one who's probably made the chapter better by editing it! ;-D!**

**TiFF: I don't know what Amy here's talking about. She's a much better writer, and I like chapter 3! You just wait, everyone will review to YOU amy! not me! lol so anyways, there's some pretty good stuff to come! and trust me, it's gonna be awesome! so, review! lotsa reviews make happy writers. and happy writers update more often:-)**

**Skee-Daddle!X**


	5. Salazar Slytherin?

**Chapter 4 **

**Salazar Slytherin? **

Ginny woke early the next day. She'd hardly slept thanks to that damn riddle. Why couldn't Flamel have just told them? Harry groaned as Ginny attempted to wake him too. He rolled over onto his other side and pulled his blanket over his head. "Harry Potter," Ginny growled at him. "Get up!" She ripped his covers off of him and waited a minute or two. "If you don't wake up right now, I'm bringing in cold water and dumping it all over you!" Harry opened his eyes and looked up at Ginny.

"That's heartless," He said, looking into her eyes. "Fine. I'm up." Ginny grinned, glad that she'd won.

"You have to actually get out of bed," Gin whispered, as if it were a secret. When he didn't move, she started walking towards the bathroom they were sharing. Harry knew what she was doing and jumped up.

"You are horrible." He yawned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Why are we getting up so early anyways?" Ginny rolled her eyes.

"To figure out the riddle," She said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. When Harry was about to object, Ginny told him to be quiet. "We were sent on a mission," Ginny stated. "We weren't sent here for vacation."

"Yes, mother," Harry said, agitated. When he saw Gin glare at him, he softened his tone. "Gin, you can't work all the time. You've got to have some fun. That's all you do is work."

Ginny smirked. "I like my job and I'm good at it. This is the one thing I've wanted to accomplish since the beginning, Harry. You don't know how it feels knowing we're so close, and yet nowhere near it. My work is fun. I live for one more great discovery." Harry smiled for the first time that morning.

"Still," He started. "You've got to take a break sometimes." He walked over to where the parchment lay and found all sorts of notes made on it by certain parts of it. "What is this?" He asked. "Did you find anything more out?"

Ginny sighed. "No, it's all things we already knew, but I figured maybe we'd forget." She said. Harry chuckled.

"Sure Gin." He said. "We're already in Bulgaria, and we know it's in a cemetary. How hard is that to remember?" Ginny hit him.

"Why is it you're always trying to make me feel like I can't do anything for this mission?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, Ginny, I really am." Harry turned his back to hide his smile. The truth was, he loved picking on Ginny. She was like his younger sister and it was so rewarding to make her temper flare. "Have you figured how to tell which cemetary we're dealing with?" Ginny shook her head.

"No this is a lost cause! He didn't leave enough clues." Ginny started pacing. "Maybe we should just search the whole damn country." Harry cocked his head and looked at her in awe. One minute she was happy and ready to solve the riddle, the next she was angry and wouldn't even try!

Ginny looked over the parchment a few more times. "Hold on," She said softly. "Harry, you don't suppose," She paused and read it once again. "I think I might have something. 'In the realm which dark wizards play, it waits for light to come it's way,'" She recited. "We know that means Bulgaria, but we also took the second clue to mean Bulgaria too. What if 'Venture to the place that men most fear, find the place where the trees are cleared' means something different. What if that is talking about the cemetary?" Harry looked confused.

"How does that help us?" He asked. "We still don't know which cemetary." Ginny frowned and read over the clue again.

"Maybe," She muttered. "If there is possibly a cemetary full of dark wizards, wizards that were feared by everyone in Bulgaria. If there is such a cemetary..." She stopped talking. It seemed like it was, once again, a lost cause. Like she was, once again, wrong. Harry, however, got very excited.

"Gin! You're a genius! Everyone knows Salazar Slytherin himself was buried here! So were some of his family. Maybe it's a family graveyard." He looked at her. "You might be on to something with this."

"Do you think so? How can we check?" Ginny asked.

Harry's smile faded. "Well, I don't know, exactly."

"So we're still in the same spot we were," Ginny said quietly. Harry nodded and grabbed his cloak.

"Come on, let's go get breakfast and we can talk about it while we eat." Ginny nodded and smiled. She was getting quite hungry.

XXXXXXXXXX

Draco and Viktor watched Harry and Ginny leave their hotel and duck into a deserted breakfast nook. Since Draco had been told to follow them, that's what he did. He and Viktor entered the pub and sat as close as they could without being noticed. They both acted very casual and went unnoticed as they slid into a booth not even ten feet from the duo. Ginny and Harry were talking in such hushed voices that Draco and Viktor could just barely make out a few words.

Among these words he heard something about Slytherin and trees, but he couldn't make much sense of anything. "Dammit," He swore quietly. "Can you hear anything their saying?" He asked Viktor.

"No. How can zey be zo quiet?" He croaked out. "I don't understand anything zey are saying."

"What the hell can they mean by Slytherins and trees? That makes no sense!" Draco was getting very aggrivated. He hated being in the dark. Draco sat for a few minutes and then he had a somewhat great idea. He motioned over a waitress who looked relatively new.

"Can I help you?" She asked in such a sweet voice that you knew it was false.

"I can give you 100 galleons right here if you can do me one small favor." Draco smirked as she pondered what he'd just said.

"How do I know you've got the money on you?" She asked. Draco opened the small briefcase he carried with him at all times. It had all his most recent clients and all their information. There was also extra pocket change in case something like this should happen. The waitress took one look and smiled pleasently. "What can I do for you gents?"

Draco leaned his head in towards the table and whispered in a barely audible tone, "I need to know what's being said at that table," He nodded his head towards Harry and Ginny. "No, don't look now you git." He snapped. "I need that information, so get it right." She nodded curtly and Draco wondered if she might do well for his other mission as well. The waitress sauntered over an began cleaning the table right next to the pair. Her eyes widened with every new thing she heard. At one point, she stopped washing the table and turned her head slightly, looking at Draco with an expression of complete shock. When she knew she could no longer get away with washing that table, she walked back to where Draco and Viktor sat.

"Come with me." She guided them to the back of the restraunt and out a back door. "Is what they are saying true? A second Philosophers Stone?" She asked, opening her purse to put in all the galleons Draco had just given her.

"Nope," Draco answered. "I just wanted information on something fake." She gave a squeak. Maybe he'd been wrong. Someone who could be this air headed couldn't possibly make the cut. "Don't speak a word to anyone. Tell me what you over heard."

She took a big breath and let it out slowly. "I heard something about a cemetary and a Slytherin. Ceaser maybe?" Salazar immediatly ran through Draco's mind. "They also talked about trees alot. They didn't say much more. Oh, and I remember them talking about the Stone in the cemetary." She thought she was being helpful, but Draco thought her annoying.

"Well they wouldn't talk about cemetaries for a normal breakfast conversation now would they. Of course the stone is in a cemetary you pillock." The girl looked offended.

"I just helped you. I should think you'd be thanking me." She huffed.

"I payed you didn't I?" Draco said, smirking at her. "Leave me alone now. I've got to talk in private." She glared at him, but left him anyways. He seemed like he was the type who didn't mind hurting women, or people in general.

"Where is Salazar Slytherin buried?" Draco asked Viktor. "If we can get there before them, we have an advantage."

He shook his head. "I don't know vere he iz buried. I haff never asked." Draco rolled his eyes.

"You live here," He said. "How could you not know where the most famous wizard to live in your country was buried at?" Viktor shrugged again.

"I am very sorry."

"Right. Sorry." Draco paced for a minute. "Looks like we're following them again."

XXXXXXXXXX

A/N: TiFF: I dunno how good this chapter was, but hey it was me who wrote it lol. Umm, So Ginny's finally getting somewhere, but still can't get there lol and I don't really have anything to say soo. AMY!  
AmY: I peronally thought it was a great chapter by TiFF! Looks like I'm up to bat for the next one...Dang! lol! BUt this really is a fun story to write...just very hard to string into words! I hope y'all like it...it's not gotten hardly any reviews and I think thats cause I can't write worth crap! lol..but pleasse, if you do read this, it'd be nice if you reviewed! Now on to chapter 5, we're getting cloooseerrrr...! ;-)


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